Portable blackboard and advertiser.



H. A. WOODS.

PORTABLE BLACKBOARD AND ADVERTISER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 3,1914.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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PORTABLE BLACKIBOARD AND ADVERTISER.

To all QUJLOI'I'L it may concern Beit known that I, HOMER A. Wooos, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of lndiana have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Blackboards and Advertisers, of' which the following is a specification.

' The object of this invention is to provide a portable stand having blackboard surfaces for erasable notices on two opposite sides, each surmounted by a permanent advertisement, and to provide an all-metal construction which will. be inexpensive to construct, but strong and rigid in use, and foldable to greatly reduce dimensions for storage and transportation. I accomplish the above object by the means illustrated, in the accompanying drawing, in which- 1 Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention in operative position. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of same. Fig. 3 shows the stand in folded position, and Fig. 4 isa detail in section on the line 4.4: of Fig. 1.

Like characters of reference indicate. like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

The stand is supported upon four legs 5 arranged in oblique pairs, the legs of each pair being parallel with each other, and formed out of angle bars. The two legs of each pair are joined together by means of an upper horizontal rod 6 and a lower horizontal rod 7, and the two pairs are united by being both separately hinged to top sideplates 8, the hinge connection being by means of the top rods 6 which are projected through suitable holes in the plates 8 on opposite ends of the stand. The upper and major portions of the oblique edges of the plates 8 overlap the adjacent legs 5 but the lower portions of said plates are slotted to form tongues 9 which are bent inwardly to serve as stops to hold the legs apart obliquely,vas shown.

An inverted U-shaped frame 10 is formed out of angle iron and has the lower ends of its stems rigidly secured to the plates 8 by a pair of rivets for each stem. 'This forms a spreader to separate the plates 8 and also a receiving-frame to receive plates 11, preferably of sheet metal', bearing lithographed advertisements .which it is desired to permanently display above thetop rods 6 of the stand. A painof plates is shown be- Speciflcation of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. f3, 1915..

Application filed September 3,1914. Serial No. 860,023.

cause only one surface is usually made with advertising matter and two plates withtheir printed surfaces oppositely turned are required to produce a legible sign as viewed from either side of the stand-structure. These plates are held in place against the inside member of the angle bar from which .them through the open bottom ofthe frame 10. The plates to take their places are slid into position by a reverse operation and are held by hammering the tongues back against them. As the tongues 12 are not bent very far in these plate-changing operations many of such changes can be made without breaking the hinges of the tongues.

.The area bounded by each oblique pair of legs 5 and their rods 6 and 7 is covered by a metal sheet 13, the outer surface of which is coated with any suitable material for writ.- ing or drawing upon with chalk. The vertical edges of the sheet 13 are bent around the adjacent legs 5 and also around the inner edgeof the outside angle-member of said legs, as shown in Figfll. The sheets 13 are preferably bent into shape as above described before assembly with their legs and are assembled by a sliding endwis e movement starting from the lower ends of the legs. When in position of use as shown in the drawing, the upper and lower edges of the sheet 13 are bent inwardly, and partially around the respective rods 6' and 7, thereby retaining a sheet 13 immovably on its pair of legs 5. The upper and lower edges of sheet 13 are sufficiently indented to miss the legs 5 when said edges are inturned. I

Tie-bars 15 connect the oppositely oblique adjacent legs 5. -One' end of each tie-bar may be pivotally secured to a leg and the other end of the bar provided with a slot entering from one edge of the bar to receive a headedpin 16 in the opposite leg. This provides a means for releasing the legs from the tie-bar when it is desired to fold the stand.

The stand is folded to the position shown lltl spective edges of ,frame 10. The leg-pairs 5 are then parallel with each other instead of oblique as when in use as a stand, and

the blackboard-coated surfaces of the sheets 13 are toward the inside where they will be protected, and the lithographed faces of the plates 11 will'be protected by the sheets 13. The device is then inits compact and prov tected condition for storage or shipment.

While I have described my invention with '15 more or less minuteness as regards details of construction and arrangement and as being embodied in certain precise forms, I

do .not desire to be limited thereto unduly or any more than is pointed out in the claims. On the contrary, I contemplate all proper changes in form, construction, and arrangement, the onnsslon 'of immaterial elements, and the substitution of equivar lents, as circumstances may suggest or necessity render expedient.

' I cla1m:

1. In a display device, angle bar legs arranged in. pairs, spaced rods connecting the legs. of each pair, a sheet also connecting the legs of each pair, said sheet having certain of its edge portions in contact with the outer faces of said angle bars, and hooked overone of the edges thereof, other edge portions of said sheet being bent into engagement with said rods, plates to which the two pairs of legs are hinged at their upper ends and spacing means connected with and separating said plates.

2. In a display device, a pair of top plates having leg-stops, a frame secured to said plates and acting as a spreader to keep them separated, a pair of rods journaled in the plates, a pair of legs secured to each by the legs,

- them,

rod and swingingly adjustable therewith, material having writing surfaces supported and tie-bars connecting the two pairs of legs when the legs are in contact with the stops on said top plates.

3. In a display device, angle-bar legs in pairs, each pair being-joined together by a pair of spaced-apart rods, a pair of top plates between which said pairs of legs are swingingly secured by-the projection of the ends of one of each plates, a frame connecting and spacing said plates, means on said plates for limiting the approach of the two pairs of legs toward each other, tie-bars to hold said legs in contact with said last means, plates adapted to stiffen and brace the frame mounted in said frame, of legs.

4. In a display device, a pair of top plates having leg-stops, an inverted U-shaped barfran'ie secured to said plates and forming a spreader to keep them separated, a pair of rods journaled in the plates, a pair of legs pair of rods through said and sheets connecting each pair secured to each rod, plates removably secured in said frame, and a sheet secured to each pair of legs.

5. In a display device, a pair of top plates having leg-stops, an inverted U-shaped bar frame secured to said plates and spacing with surfaces adapted to receive advertising matter, a pair of rods journaled in the plates, angle-bar legs in pairs secured to each rod, a sheet having a writing surface.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 14th day of August, A. D.- one thousand nine hundred and fourteen.

HOMER A. WOODS. [L. a] lVitnesses:

J. A. MINTURN, I. L. LARSON.

said frame having stiffening plates. 

